Overview

A family learns that time can erase mistakes when the heart remains true- from a refreshing new storyteller.

Fifteen years ago, Garret Sorensen's family, trust, and heart were destroyed when Thea Celik betrayed him and married his brother. Now they are divorcing. Garret's ready to finally mend his relationship with his brother. But being back in Newport, Rhode Island, triggers a lot of memories-all leading back to Thea.

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Overview

A family learns that time can erase mistakes when the heart remains true- from a refreshing new storyteller.

Fifteen years ago, Garret Sorensen's family, trust, and heart were destroyed when Thea Celik betrayed him and married his brother. Now they are divorcing. Garret's ready to finally mend his relationship with his brother. But being back in Newport, Rhode Island, triggers a lot of memories-all leading back to Thea.

Thea's not ready to let go of the Sorensens-even if it means being around Garret. As they cautiously circle around each other-finding themselves drawn together-they realize following their hearts could cast them adrift.

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Meet the Author

Lisa Dale believes there are few things better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea. A nominee for Best New American Voices and The Pushcart Prize, Lisa lives in northern New Jersey with her fiancé.

Reading Group Guide

INTRODUCTION
Fifteen years ago, Garret Sorensen’s family, trust, and heart were destroyed when Thea Celik betrayed him and married his brother. Now that her marriage is ending in divorce, Garret finally feels free to mend his relationship with his brother and put the past behind him. But the quaint streets and bustling piers of Newport, Rhode Island, trigger a lot of memories—all leading back to Thea.

Navigating through the divorce, Thea struggles to keep things as peaceful as possible for her daughter. And she’s not ready to let go of the Sorensens—the only family she has—even if it means being around Garret again and risking the return of her feelings for him. As they cautiously circle around each other—drawing together and moving apart—they both realize that if they follow their hearts, their already fragile family ties could be irreparably severed—casting them both adrift…

ABOUT LISA DALE

Lisa Dale believes there are few things better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea. A nominee for Best New American Voices and The Pushcart Prize, Lisa lives in northern New Jersey with her fiancé.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discuss some of the most pertinent themes of "The Coffee Diaries" and how they relate to Thea's life.

Thea has a long and somewhat complicated relationship with the Sorensens. While they are like family to her, do you think the way she has treated them—and the way they have treated her—has been completely acceptable? Discuss some of the difficulties that they've encountered in their relationship.

Garret's playboy ways have kept him from settling down. Do you think that he is hopeful for a second chance with Thea, perhaps even before he realizes it, and this is what causes his change of heart?

Do you think Thea and Jon settled for their marriage of "comfort and refuge"? Do you think if Garret had been honest with Thea that all their lives would have been different? Why or why not?

After the divorce, Thea has "…an unsought opportunity—a second chance she didn't quite know she needed until now…" (p 152, ms). Discuss how this foreshadows her future encounter with Garret. Do you believe she was subconsciously seeking a second chance with him?

Thea's consistent advice to Irina in a bleak situation is that "it's going to be ok," yet she seems to have difficulty believing that herself. Why do you think she has trouble following her own advice?

Thea seems to be changing along with Newport's seasons. Discuss how this works in the larger context of the novel.

Thea's columns preceding chapter 13 talk about how coffee is an acquired taste (p 222 ms). How is this a parallel to her life and what she is seeking now that she is divorced?

Garret has been hard on himself his whole life and sees soccer and love as failures that changed his future entirely. Is the perfect veneer he's created for himself a shield to make up for the failure he believes he is, especially in love?

Do you think Thea and Garret's relationship, from the beginning when they dated secretively, was destined to fail? Did everything that happened from the time they broke up to the time her marriage dissolved need to happen in order for them to find what was there all along?

Thea's family has obviously always come first in her mind. Discuss some of the reasons you think she married Jonathan and what she expected from the marriage.

Thea has a desire to think things through before she acts. Do you think she is missing out on life because of her need to not act impulsively?

Do you think Thea is right to shun a drama-free love after her second chance with Garret doesn't pan out? Why or why not?

Do you think Thea and Garret were being selfish in rekindling their love, or was it a chance they had to take? Why do you think it's hard for anyone in the family, until tragedy almost strikes, to fully understand how deep their love for each other runs?

Is it necessary for Thea to give up on love for the sake of her family? Do you think it's selfish of them to force her and Garret's unhappiness?

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This is an entertaining family drama

In Newport, Rhode Island, Coffee shop owner Thea Celik is divorcing her husband Jonathan Sorenson after ten years of marriage and a ten years old daughter Irina. At the same time, lobbyist Garrett Sorenson comes home after fifteen years away due to his then high school girlfriend Thea and his brother betraying him when they married. Their split makes him believe it is time for the Sorenson family to reconcile starting with a divorce party in Providence.

When Garrett and Thea meet, each is stunned as their attraction remains as strong as it did when they were teens. Although she wants to stay away from Garrett, she wants her child to know his paternal family. Garrett wants to know his niece, but distrusts Thea and his feelings towards her.

This is an entertaining family drama starring a strong woman who refuses to rat out her cheating husband to anyone especially his mother Sue who she loves. The competing brothers (and the other males) seem a bit emaciated compared to the female trio of Thea, Sue and Irina, who own the story line. Switching character viewpoints in the present and a decade ago, fans will enjoy drinking coffee and Slow Dancing on Price's Pier.

Harriet Klausner

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Magnificent!!! I LOVED it and forever will!

Stories about summertime and first loves always bring me back to my teen years - before the life you think you'll have actually starts, for real. I recently read the young adult trilogy by Jenny Han (book one is The Summer I Turned Pretty), which was fantastic and I wanted something to read along those lines again...I was not disappointed in Slow Dancing on Price's Pier.

I really enjoyed the small town feeling of this book and Thea's "coffee columns" from the local newspaper found at the beginning of each chapter. Thea's connection with her parents and heritage lives on as she waits on customers in her coffee shop. The loss of her marriage to Jonathan and the comfortable life she had takes a toll on her as she questions all her decisions from the past fifteen years and confronts feelings she thought were long gone. The ambivalence and stress placed on the family that Thea loves so much is simply too much for her to bear at times and there were several times when I teared up.

While I like the writing style in this story, it's not for everyone. As you find out about Thea and Jonathan's marriage, you also read flashbacks to when they were younger. You find out how Thea, Jonathan, and Garret, his brother, were always together like peas in a pod. As you read about how their daughter acts out her feelings of anger and uncertainty as they separate and then divorce, you read flashbacks explaining how Thea and Garret were involved - before he was arrested. While Jonathan was the son his family considered "a disappointment," I enjoyed reading how he started to discover who he was and what HE wanted, instead of settling for the type of love he would not receive from Thea. I wasn't sure of Garret's character and his intentions, but by the end of the story he had stolen my heart too.

A brutally honest story of what happens when you love one boy and consider the other a friend. A definite beach read, especially for those folks who like stories that wonder "What if I had...?"

Quote: "But sometime near daybreak, before the sun appeared, his sleepy brain began to realize that he was not only dreaming of Thea's soft breathing and the feel of her body against his, he was with her. She still loved him. And he knew: the bliss of reality far outweighed the joy of his dreams." Page 294.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted February 15, 2014

Paula

She allowed his tongue to enter her mouth, her tongue greeting his, she felt his bulge and she pressed her body against his

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Anonymous

Posted October 19, 2013

What the hell

Why do readers feel the need to write a book report for a every book they read.

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sue147

Posted April 9, 2011

A must Read

This story is overwhelming and breath taking. Anyone who was ever in love and was crushed and needed to pick up the pieces can relate to this book. Lisa Dale has such wonderful way with words..the plot will hold you even after you put the book a side. It is a must read The young girl in the story adds emotions to the story and in many ways reflects back to my own childhood where adults and their ideas are so confusing and beyond a young person's grasp. You will wept, laugh and just feel awe while reading SLOW DANCING ON PRICE'S PIER by LISA DALE.

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A must read

Lisa Dale brings her character to life and gives them emotions that everyone can relate to. although i have only started this book i am already intrigued by all of them and can't wait to find out if everyone will get their happily ever after.

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LASR_Reviews

Posted March 28, 2011

Awesome Read

Lisa Dale waltzes right into the heart with her complex and intriguing new romance, Slow Dancing on Price's Pier.

Main characters Thea and Garrett are so right - but also so wrong for each other - for so many reasons. Reasons they both see (and feel) all too clearly. If the opinions of Price's Pier, Rhode Island townies don't put them off, and If the risks too many family connections are a not an overwhelming concern, then there is still the impact Thea's daughter, and Garett's renewed relationship with his brother.

Sorting out the reasons behind the various relationships (even between Thea and Jonathan, the husband she is divorcing) is all important here. Most explosive of all, of course, is the feelings that persist between Thea and Garrett; so real and honest neither has to question it. its not the nature of their feelings, but the potential consequences that paralyze them. Concern about hurting others is valid, as is self-doubt and then also, finding fault.

For a while, this seems a chess game between important players: will 'his' mother have the most sway, or 'her' concerned friend? Are Irina's expectations unreasonable? The friendship between brothers flirts with a certain, compelling honesty, yet, we the reader always have a sense of all that is left unspoken.

Support cast, from the largest to smallest - heck even the school teacher, all have their own 'wants' or personal goals. However, we gradually come to see that Slow Dance on Price's Pier is truly all about feelings. Getting at that truth is only part of the journey. The rest is deciding what to do about it.

Ms. Dale gives nothing away, so that at times we don't even quite know what to hope for. Her artful but unobtrusive turns of phrase are perhaps most revealing. These are good people, though "Good intentions had eroded into complacence like stone becoming sand." When is 'what is,' good enough? The author also uses some clever outside commentary: Thea's 'coffee diaries' read like blog - and though she doesn't make personal comments in these, we do find yet another revealing perspective. Sure it's about coffee, but it definitely gives us a different take on the complexities that make up Thea. I liked the modern feel the diary columns give the text, and thought it went well with Ms. Dale's very straightforward writing style.

Our main character is truly central, regardless of any question of style or design. For Thea, decisions come down to what love is 'supposed' to be. Who hasn't asked themselves the same question? Is love comfortable - or fairytale magical? Isn't that a question everyone faces? Thea revisits that question more than once, not only in thought, but in conversation.

Emotional highs and lows build tension in key moments. Ms. Dale has a deft hand at creating believable characters and circumstances, while yet being completely unpredictable.

Read Slow Dancing on Price's Pier, to share the heartaches and joys of a certain Rhode Island barista. You will lose yourself in this heartfelt tale. I know I did.

Originally posted at The Long and Short of It Romance Reviews

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